Landschap met schaap aan touw

About this artwork

collector's mark: Lugt 2228

Art Historical Context

Barend Cornelis Koekek, often hailed as the "prince of landscape painters," captures the serene beauty of the Dutch countryside in *Landschap met scha aan touw* ( with Sheep on a Rope created between 1829 and 1844. A master of Romanticism, Koekkoek specialized in idyllic, meticulously detailed landscapes that celebrated nature's harmony, blending realism with poetic idealism. This print depicts a pastoral scene likely featuring rolling hills, foliage, and a tethered sheep, evoking the tranquility of rural life in early 19th-century Netherlands, a time when Romantic artists sought solace in nature amid rapid industrialization. Rendered in lithography—a revolutionary printmaking technique invented decades earlier— the work measures 300 × 395 mm, allowing Koekkoek to reproduce his oil painting compositions for a broader audience. Lithography's fluid, chalk-like marks enabled subtle tonal gradations and atmospheric effects, hallmarks of Koekkoek's style, making fine art accessible beyond elite collectors. The presence of Lugt 2228, a collector's mark from a distinguished European collection, underscores its historical provenance and enduring appeal. This piece exemplifies Koekkoek's influence on Dutch landscape tradition, bridging 17th-century masters like Jacob van Ruisdael with 19th-century Romanticism, inviting viewers to pause and appreciate nature's quiet poetry.

About the Artist

Barend Cornelis Koekkoek · 1803–1862

Barend Cornelis Koekkoek, born on October 11, 1803, in Middelburg, Netherlands, emerged from a prolific family of artists as the son of marine painter Johannes Hermanus Koekkoek and Anna van Koolwijk. His brothers—Hermanus, Johannes, and Marinus Adrianus—also pursued painting, specializing in marine and river scenes or decorative works. Koekkoek received his earliest training from his father befor...